12 June 2017 - INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS

Welcome to some interesting facts about the marvellous dolphins. Scientists have observed limited groups of Bottlenose Dolphins around the Australian Pacific using a basic tool.

When searching for fish on the sea floor, many of these dolphins were
seen tearing off pieces of sponge and wrapping them around their
‘bottle nose’ to prevent abrasions.

Scientists at Georgetown University in Washington DC believe a single
dolphin discovered the foraging technique by chance and then passed it
on to her offspring.

The foraging technique came to light a few decades ago – very
recently in evolutionary terms – when a local fisherman spotted what
looked like a strange tumour on a dolphin’s nose. Researchers eventually
worked out that the ‘tumour’ was a conically shaped sponge and it
became apparent that the dolphins would spend considerable time
searching for one the right shape to fit their nose.

The sponge is used to scatter the sand gently on the sea floor and
disturb buried fish. When a fish is spotted, the dolphin drops the
sponge and gives chase.

Scientists discovered that although dolphins tried to teach the
hunting technique to all their young, it was mainly female offspring
that grasped the concept. Why male offspring rarely acquire the same
skill remains unclear, though the team put forward one possible
explanation: male bottlenose dolphins tend to form close bonds with
other males, and such alliances aren’t suited to seabed foraging, since
it is a time-consuming, solitary activity.

The US scientists say discovering a new tool is a direct sign of
intelligence. “There’s a strong link between animals with larger brains
and tool users. Bottlenose dolphins have a brain second in size only to
humans.” said Janet Mann, a marine biologist who led the research.
“Dolphins are already good at catching fish so they don’t need tools,
but they’ve discovered this sponge makes their job easier. Working out
how to use tools in a creative way like that is a hallmark of
intelligence.”

Mann admits we still do not understand dolphins well. “It’s hard to
get inside their heads because their brains are constructed differently
and it’s very hard to analyse their language, but they do seem very
intelligent,” she said.

Dolphins are also often seen engaging in playful behaviour and create
tools to use for entertainment. They have been observed blowing bubbles
which they form into rings to play with. After creating the bubble
ring, a dolphin will use its nose and body to maintain the shape of the
bubble and keep it from floating to the surface.

Clancy's comment: I just love these creatures. So smart, and also entertaining.